U.S. patent application number 15/771290 was filed with the patent office on 2018-11-01 for a method, a guide assembly and a system for separating viscera sets eviscerated from slaughtered poultry.
The applicant listed for this patent is LINCO FOOD SYSTEMS A/S. Invention is credited to Torben Andersen, Bent Soerensen, Uffe Thrane.
Application Number | 20180310574 15/771290 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57482366 |
Filed Date | 2018-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180310574 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thrane; Uffe ; et
al. |
November 1, 2018 |
A METHOD, A GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND A SYSTEM FOR SEPARATING VISCERA SETS
EVISCERATED FROM SLAUGHTERED POULTRY
Abstract
The invention relates to a method, a guide assembly and a system
for separating poultry viscera sets suspended from a viscera
holder. In the method a guide member is moved so that said viscera
set is arranged in an elongated opening of the guide member with
the intestines and the gallbladder suspended below said guide
member and the liver and gizzard positioned above it. The
intestines and the gallbladder are then separated from the
remaining viscera set while said liver rests on a first part of a
separation support surface and said gizzard on a second part on the
opposite side of an elongated opening. Before the separtion, the
viscera set is brought into contact with an engagement member so
that the gizzard is kept on the one side of the elongated opening
at least until coming into contact with the separation support
surface.
Inventors: |
Thrane; Uffe; (Hammel,
DK) ; Soerensen; Bent; (Allingabro, DK) ;
Andersen; Torben; (Glesborg, DK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LINCO FOOD SYSTEMS A/S |
Trige |
|
DK |
|
|
Family ID: |
57482366 |
Appl. No.: |
15/771290 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
October 24, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2016/075500 |
371 Date: |
April 26, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A22C 21/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A22C 21/06 20060101
A22C021/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 26, 2015 |
DK |
PA 2015 70693 |
Claims
1. A method for separating a viscera set eviscerated from
slaughtered poultry, said viscera set including gizzard, liver,
intestines and gallbladder, and being held by a viscera holder on a
viscera conveyor in a manner whereby at least the liver, the
intestines and the gallbladder are suspended below said viscera
holder, said method comprising the steps of: A) moving a guide
member from a first position to a second position so that said
viscera set is arranged in an elongated opening of the guide member
in a manner whereby the intestines and the gallbladder are
suspended below said guide member and the liver and gizzard are
positioned above said guide member, said elongated opening having a
length direction, and B) separating the intestines and the
gallbladder from the remaining viscera set while the guide member
is in the second position and said liver and said gizzard rests on
a separation support surface of said guide member, said separation
surface including a first part on one side of the elongated opening
adapted for supporting the gizzard and a second side on the
opposite side of the elongated opening adapted for supporting the
liver, characterized in that before or simultaneous with step A)
the viscera set is brought into contact with an engagement member
in a manner so that at least the gizzard is kept on the one side of
the elongated opening at least until coming into contact with the
separation support surface.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide
member is moved between the first position and the second position
in a pivoting movement.
3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least
a part of the engagement member projects into the elongated opening
at least during a part of step A).
4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the
engagement member projects through the elongated opening when the
guide member is in the first position and does not project into the
elongated opening when the guide member is in the second
position.
5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
viscera set is brought into contact with the engagement member in a
manner so that the centre of gravity of the gizzard is engaging the
engagement member directly or indirectly.
6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the part
of the engagement member coming into contact with the viscera set
is plate-shaped, substantially planar and arranged to extend in a
plane defined by the length direction of the elongated opening, and
substantially perpendicular to the plane of the separation support
surface at the elongated opening.
7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
intestines are gripped by a gripping member before or
simultaneously with step A), said gripping member possibly
performing a vertical movement whereby the intestines are pulled
downwards through the elongated opening of the guide member and/or
the viscera holder and/or guide member being moved upwards away
from the gripping member.
8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
intestines and the gallbladder and possibly the spleen are
separated from the remaining viscera set by: a blade positioned
between said guide member and said engagement member; edges of the
elongated opening of the guide member being moved together like
scissors; and/or a pull on the intestines and/or gallbladder.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said viscera holder and
a guide assembly including the guide member and the engagement
member are moved as a pair at least for a distance.
10. The guide assembly for use in a system for separating viscera
sets including gizzard, liver, intestines and gallbladder and being
eviscerated from slaughtered poultry, including a guide member,
which is moveable between a first position and a second position
and which comprises a separation support surface having an
elongated opening with a length direction for receiving a viscera
set in a manner whereby at least the intestines and the gallbladder
are suspended below said guide member and the liver and gizzard are
positioned above said guide member, and where said separation
surface includes a first part on one side of the elongated opening
adapted for supporting the gizzard and a second side on the
opposite side of the elongated opening adapted for supporting the
liver, characterized in that it further includes an engagement
member arranged so that it keeps at least the gizzard on the one
side of the elongated opening at least until coming into contact
with the separation support surface.
11. A guide assembly according to claim 10, wherein the guide
member is able to pivot about an axis (R), which is substantially
perpendicular to the elongated opening and/or parallel to the front
edge of the guide member.
12. The guide assembly according to claim 10, wherein the guide
member is moveable between a first inactive position and a second
active position, the separation support surface preferably being
substantially vertical in the first position and substantially
horizontal in the second position.
13. The guide assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that
at least a part of the engagement member projects into the
elongated opening at least in one position of the guide member.
14. The guide assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that
the engagement member includes a plate member adapted for coming
into contact with the viscera set, said plate member being
substantially planar and extending in a plane defined by the length
direction of the elongated opening, and substantially perpendicular
to the plane of the separation support surface at the elongated
opening at least when the guide member is in the second
position.
15. The guide assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a
gripping member arranged below said guide member for gripping a
part of the intestines and/or comprising an assembly frame on which
said guide member and/or said engagement member and/or said
gripping member are arranged.
16. The guide assembly according to claim 10, further comprising an
assembly frame and wherein at least said guide member is vertically
movably arranged on said assembly frame with a first vertical
position adapted for receiving a viscera set and a second vertical
position above said first vertical position.
17. A system for separating viscera sets eviscerated from
slaughtered poultry, said viscera set including gizzard, liver,
intestines and gallbladder, and said system comprising at least one
guide member and viscera conveyor comprising a plurality of viscera
holders, wherein each viscera holder is configured to hold a
viscera set in a manner whereby at least the liver, the intestines,
and the gall-bladder are suspended below said viscera holder; said
guide member is moveable between a first position and a second
position, said guide member comprises an elongated opening with a
length direction, said guide member being configured to, while
being moved from the first position to the second position, receive
a viscera set held by a viscera holder in said elongated opening in
a manner whereby the intestines and the gallbladder are suspended
below said guide member and the liver and gizzard are positioned
above said guide member; and said system is configured to separate
the intestines and the gallbladder from the remaining viscera set
while said liver and said gizzard rests on a separation support
surface of said guide member and the guide member is in the second
position, said separation support surface including a first part on
one side of the elongated opening adapted for supporting the
gizzard and a second side on the opposite side of the elongated
opening adapted for supporting the liver, characterized in that at
least one engagement member is arranged so that it keeps at least
the gizzard on the one side of the elongated opening at least until
coming into contact with the separation support surface.
18. The system according to claim 17, characterized in that it
further includes an activation mechanism adapted for moving the
guide member, preferably to pivot about a horizontal axis.
19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said viscera holders
are adapted for moving substantially in the same horizontal plane
and wherein said guide member is adapted for being moved upwards
towards a viscera holder, possibly by a pivoting movement.
20. The system according to claim 17, characterized in that it
further includes a blade or similar cutting device arranged below
the separation support surface at least when in a use position,
said blade or similar cutting device preferably being adapted for
being positioned between the engagement member and the guide
member, when the guide member is in the second position.
21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the system further
comprises a plurality of gripping members, wherein each gripping
member is configured to move with a particular viscera holder and
grip the intestines, each gripping member preferably being
configured to perform a downwards displacement and pull the
intestines downwards through the elongated opening of the guide
member.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Stage Entry of
International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2016/075500, filed Oct.
24, 2016, which claims the benefit of Danish Patent Application No.
PA 2015 70693, filed Oct. 26, 2015, the disclosures of which are
hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a method, a guide assembly
and a system for separating a viscera set eviscerated from
slaughtered poultry.
State of the Art
[0003] Viscera separation is an important part of the poultry
slaughtering process. The two most important parameters are speed
and quality. Modern poultry slaughtering systems are capable of
operating at processing speeds of above 200 birds per minute. As
the value of the systems is directly proportional with their
processing speed, even a small increase in the processing speed may
be very valuable. However, an increase in the processing speed
should not result in a corresponding decrease in the quality of the
separation.
[0004] One particular important part of the viscera separation
process is the separation of edible from non-edible parts.
Typically, the intestines and gallbladder are perceived as
non-edible parts, whereas the liver, heart and gizzard are
perceived as edible parts. Especially, the separation of the
gallbladder from the liver is challenging, as the gallbladder
contains bile that may contaminate the edible parts of the viscera
set if the separation is not done properly.
[0005] WO2015/070880 and WO2014/183769 disclose methods and
apparatuses for separating viscera sets, wherein viscera sets
suspended from holders under the influence of gravity are arranged
in an elongated opening of a guide member in a manner whereby the
intestines and the gallbladder are suspended below said guide
member and the liver and gizzard are positioned above said guide
member. The intestines and the gallbladder are then separated from
the remaining viscera set while the liver rests on a separation
support surface of the guide member.
[0006] In some cases, however, a part of the liver is pulled below
the stationary guide plates and is cut off and discarded together
with the gallbladder and the intestines, and in other cases a bit
of the gallbladder is left on the liver.
[0007] Thus, it remains a problem to provide a method and/or system
allowing an even more precise separation of the intestines and
gallbladder from the remaining viscera at high processing speeds
when viscera sets are suspended from viscera holders.
SUMMARY
[0008] A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for
separating a viscera set held by a viscera holder on a viscera
conveyor in manner whereby at least the liver, the intestines and
the gallbladder are suspended below said viscera holder, said
method comprising the steps of:
[0009] A) moving a guide member from a first position to a second
position so that said viscera set is arranged in an elongated
opening of the guide member in a manner whereby the intestines and
the gallbladder are suspended below said guide member and the liver
and gizzard are positioned above said guide member, said opening
having a length direction, and
[0010] B) separating the intestines and the gallbladder from the
remaining viscera set while the guide member is in the second
position and said liver and said gizzard rests on a separation
support surface of said guide member, said separation surface
including a first part on one side of the elongated opening adapted
for supporting the gizzard and a second side on the opposite side
of the elongated opening adapted for supporting the liver, wherein,
before or simultaneous with step A), the viscera set is brought
into contact with an engagement member in a manner so that at least
the gizzard is kept on the one side of the elongated opening at
least until coming into contact with the separation support
surface.
[0011] Keeping the gizzard on one side of the elongated opening
contributes to a well-defined orientation of the viscera set and
thus ensures that the gizzard and liver end up in the intended
position on the separation support surface. This in turn reduces
the number of viscera sets, where the separation results in a piece
of the gallbladder being left on the liver or a piece of the liver
being cut off and discarded together with the intestines and
gallbladder. Experiments have shown that by initially keeping both
the gizzard and the liver on the one side of the elongated opening
the differences in density and structure of the gizzard and the
liver will result in the gizzard coming correctly to rest on the
separation support surface on the one side of the elongated opening
while the liver swings over to the opposite side of the elongated
opening before coming to rest on the separation support surface.
Using an engagement member has been shown to result in a 30%
improvement in the number of viscera sets being optimally
separated.
[0012] Depending on the embodiment of the engagement member and the
anatomy of the viscera sets processed, the liver may swing to the
opposite side of the engagement member already before the movement
of the guide member is initiated, so that only the gizzard is kept
back by the engagement member. This is entirely within the scope of
the invention.
[0013] The method is particularly advantageous when the guide
member is moved between the first position and the second position
in a pivoting movement, since the changing angle of the guide
member during the movement may contribute to the positioning of the
liver and gizzard on the separation support surface. The method,
however, also provides an advantage with other patterns of
movement.
[0014] If the engagement member projects into the elongated opening
at least during a part of step A), the transfer of the gizzard to
the separation support surface may be aided and the risk of the
viscera set being pinched between the engagement member and the
guide member reduced.
[0015] In order to allow the separation to be performed with a low
risk of the cutting device hitting the engagement member and/or
guide member, it may be advantageous that the engagement member
does not project into the elongated opening of the guide member
when the guide member is in the second position.
[0016] The size and shape of the engagement member may vary
depending for example on the space available, but it is presently
considered advantageous that the viscera set is brought into
contact with the engagement member in a manner so that the centre
of gravity of the gizzard is engaging the engagement member
directly or indirectly, i.e. with other tissue or organs in between
the gizzard and the engagement member.
[0017] A specific embodiment, which provides a good support for the
gizzard, is where the part of the engagement member coming into
contact with the viscera set is plate-shaped, substantially planar
and extending in a plane defined by the length direction of the
elongated opening, and substantially perpendicular to the plane of
the separation support surface at the elongated opening. This
embodiment is also easy to keep clean due to its simple structure,
but it will be understood that similar advantages may be achieved
with a brace made for example from a bent rod. Stainless steel is a
material well-suited for the engagement member as well as other
parts of the guide assembly.
[0018] The actual separation may be achieved in a number of ways,
including by a blade positioned between said guide member and said
engagement member, by edges of the elongated opening of the guide
member moved together like scissors, and/or by a pull on the
intestines and/or gallbladder.
[0019] To further facilitate the introduction of a blade or similar
cutting device, the part of the engagement member coming into
contact with the viscera set may be made with a substantially
linear upper edge or surface, which is substantially parallel to
the length direction of the elongated opening when the guide member
is in the second position. This will provide a gap of substantially
uniform height between the guide member and engagement member, and
the underside of the guide member and/or the upper edge or surface
of the engagement member may serve as a guide for the cutting
device.
[0020] The well-defined orientation of the viscera set may be aided
or secured if the intestines are gripped by a gripping member
before or simultaneously with step A), and gripping the intestines
will also contribute to the gallbladder coming out on the underside
of the guide member when the viscera set is arranged in the
elongated opening. In order to further contribute to ensuring the
gallbladder is located underneath the guide member before
separation, the gripping member may possibly perform a vertical
movement whereby the intestines are pulled downwards through the
elongated opening of the guide member. Such a downwards movement
may be performed on all viscera sets or only where it has been
detected that the gallbladder has not come out correctly. A similar
effect may be achieved by keeping the gripping member at the same
horizontal level and instead moving the guide member upwards.
[0021] A continuous processing may be achieved by making each of
said viscera holders move as a pair with a guide assembly including
the guide member and the engagement member at least for a
distance.
[0022] A second aspect of the invention relates to a guide assembly
for use in a system for separating viscera sets including a guide
member with a separation support surface having an elongated
opening for receiving a viscera set and with an engagement member
arranged so that it keeps at least the gizzard on the one side of
the elongated opening at least until coming into contact with the
separation support surface. Such a guide assembly may be used in a
viscera separation apparatus, possible replacing a prior art guide
assembly without the engagement member, thereby improving the
precision and efficiency of the separation apparatus as described
with reference to the first aspect of the invention above.
[0023] The guide member will usually be moveable between a first
inactive position and a second active position, and in experiments
with chicken viscera sets it has been shown that the guide assembly
is well-functioning if the separation support surface is preferably
substantially vertical in the first position and substantially
horizontal in the second position.
[0024] In some embodiments the guide member is able to pivot about
an axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the elongated
opening and/or parallel to the front edge, but other patterns of
movement are also envisaged.
[0025] As described above, it may be advantageous that at least a
part of the engagement member projects into the elongated opening
at least in one position of the guide member, and in a specific
embodiment the part of the engagement member coming into contact
with the viscera set is plate-shaped, substantially planar and
extending in a plane defined by the length direction of the
elongated opening, and substantially perpendicular to the plane of
the separation support surface at the elongated opening at least
when the guide member is in the second position.
[0026] A gripping member arranged below said guide member for
gripping a part of the intestines forms part of the guide assembly
in some embodiments.
[0027] One way of providing the movement of the guide member is to
embody said guide assembly with an assembly frame where at least
said guide member is vertically movably arranged on said assembly
frame with a first vertical position adapted for receiving a
viscera set and a second vertical position above said first
vertical position. The engagement member and/or gripping member may
be mounted on the same assembly frame and any necessary movement of
these members may also be provided by a movement relative to the
assembly frame. It is also possible to make the entire assembly
frame moveable in order to achieve a movement of the guide assembly
in relation to the viscera holder.
[0028] In addition to allowing an easy coordination or
synchronization of movement, arranging the guide member, engagement
member and/or the gripping member on a common assembly frame, the
provision of a guide assembly also allows the different parts to be
easily provided, mounted and replaced as a unit, making the
construction of a system according to the invention as well as
maintenance and repair relatively easy. This is particularly so if
members adapted for connecting the assembly frame to an apparatus
frame, such as control members adapted for cooperating with guide
tracks or the like on the apparatus frame, are made in a manner
already known from other systems used in poultry
slaughterhouses.
[0029] A third aspect of the invention relates to a system for
separating viscera sets comprising a viscera conveyor comprising a
plurality of viscera holders, at least one guide member, and at
least one engagement member arranged so that it keeps at least the
gizzard on one side of an elongated opening in the guide member at
least until coming into contact with a separation support surface
on the guide member. The advantages of such a system correspond to
those described with reference to the first and second aspects of
the invention above.
[0030] In order to allow movement of the guide member, the system
may further include an activation mechanism adapted for moving the
guide member, preferably to pivot about a horizontal axis. Such an
activation mechanism may be provided as part of a guide assembly,
possibly on an assembly frame, but may also be provided as an
independent part of the system.
[0031] The mutual movement of the viscera holders and the guide
member(s) may be achieved by providing the system with viscera
holders adapted for moving substantially in the same horizontal
plane and said guide member adapted for being moved upwards towards
a viscera holder, possibly by a pivoting movement, but other
patterns of movement are also envisaged.
[0032] For use in the separation process it is presently preferred
that the system further includes a blade or similar cutting device
arranged below the separation support surface at least when in a
use position, said blade or similar cutting device preferably being
adapted for being positioned between the engagement member and the
guide member, when the guide member is in the second position.
Other separation mechanisms may, however, also be provided, a few
having been mentioned with reference to the first aspect of the
invention above. The cutting device may form part of a guide
assembly or be an independent part of the system.
[0033] Gripping members configured to move with a particular
viscera holder and grip the intestines may form part of the system,
and each gripping member may be configured to perform a downwards
displacement and pull the intestines downwards through the
elongated opening of the guide member as has also been described
above.
[0034] Throughout this text it is to be understood that references
to a member being "substantially vertical" or "substantially
horizontal" are only intended as a general indication of direction.
This for example means that when the guide member is described as
being "substantially horizontal" in its active position it is to be
understood as meaning that it should be able to form a supporting
surface for the liver and gizzard. Likewise the "substantially
vertical" inactive position is to be understood as a position where
the guide member has been swung away and arranged in a position,
where any liquid on the separation support surface will run
off.
[0035] Reference to relative positions such as "above", "below",
"upwards" or "downwards" are to be understood as applying to the
guide assembly when mounted and in its intended use position.
[0036] The term "rests" it not to be understood in the very strict
sense that for example the liver is absolutely stationary in
relation to the separation support surface. Some movement may be
involved due to the very high processing speeds in modern poultry
processing. To avoid damage to the viscera set, particularly the
liver, it is, however, preferred that the movement is limited so
that the relative velocity of the liver in relation to the
separation support surface is less than 25%, preferably less than
10%, of the velocity of the viscera holder.
[0037] Likewise is should be understood that the contact between
the engagement member and the viscera set will often take the
character of the viscera set resting against the engagement member,
particularly if it is not arranged vertically, and that forces
resulting from the movement of the individual parts of the system
may influence the contact between the engagement member and the
viscera set.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] In the following the invention will be described in closer
detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawing,
where:
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a guide member and an
engagement member seen from above,
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a guide member and an
engagement member seen from above,
[0041] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a guide member and an
engagement member seen from above,
[0042] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a viscera holder holding a
viscera set separated from a chicken under the influence of gravity
and of a guide assembly including an engagement member and a guide
member shown in an inactive position,
[0043] FIG. 5 shows the guide assembly in FIG. 4 in an active
position and from a slightly different angle,
[0044] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a viscera holder holding a
viscera set separated from a chicken, and a guide assembly
including a guide member, an engagement member and a gripping
member mounted on an assembly frame, the guide member being in a
first inactive position,
[0045] FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6, but showing the guide member
in a second active position,
[0046] FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 7 but seen from a different angle
and including a circular blade inserted between the guide member
and the engagement member, and
[0047] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the layout of a
section of a poultry slaughter house including a system according
to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0048] Three different embodiments of a guide member 4 and an
engagement member 8 suitable for use according to the invention are
shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Where nothing else is stated, features
having the same reference numbers have the same or substantially
the same function.
[0049] The guide member 4 comprises a separation support surface
41, 42 intended for supporting at least the liver and gizzard of a
viscera set as will be described later. The right-hand side 41 of
the separation support surface is intended for supporting the
gizzard and the left-hand side 42 is intended for supporting the
liver. An elongated opening 43 extending from the front edge 44 of
the guide member delimits the two sides 41, 42 of the separation
support surface and is intended for surrounding the intestines of
the viscera set as will also be described later. Opposite the front
edge 44 in FIG. 1 is an axle 40 intended for defining a rotation
axis R when connected to a guide assembly or apparatus frame.
[0050] The elongated opening 43 in FIG. 1 is straight, but in the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the elongated opening includes three
sections, a proximal section 43a located at the front edge 44 of
the guide member, a distal section 43b located away from the front
edge and an intermediate inclined section 43c interconnecting the
proximal and distal sections. The distal section 43b of this
embodiment is located to the right of the proximal section when
seen from the front edge and from above and centred between the
side edges. In other words the proximal section and the opening 43d
of the elongated opening 43 into the front edge 44 is located to
the left of the middle of the front edge. This has been shown to
provide an optimal positioning of the viscera set in relation to
the guide member when processing viscera sets from chicken using an
eviscerating apparatus of the type described in WO98/44806.
[0051] The embodiment in FIG. 3 has a straight, but inclined
elongated opening and thus combines the advantages of the
embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0052] In all embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 at least some of
the side edges of the opening 43 are bevelled to aid the insertion
and positioning of the viscera set.
[0053] The guide member 4 in FIGS. 1 to 3 is substantially square,
but it may also be slightly wedge-shaped and quite narrow at the
end facing away from the front edge to help the viscera set to
reach the desired orientation on the separation support surface
and/or convex or concave. Likewise, it will be understood that even
though the separation support surface is described as being flat,
embodiments where the separation support surface is either convex
or concave are also within the scope of the invention.
[0054] Edge flanges 46, 47 at the front edge and at the side edges
help to keep the liver and gizzard on the separation support
surface and prevent unintentional damage to the liver by preventing
particularly the lobes of the liver from hanging over the
edges.
[0055] The guide member may also be composed of two mutually
moveable parts (not shown) each forming a side 41, 42 of the
separation support surface. The elongated opening 43 may then be
formed by each part having a recess in the side facing the other
part, or only one part may include a recess. Alternatively, the
elongated opening may be provided simply by maintaining a distance
between the two parts, and the separation of the intestines and
gallbladder from the liver and gizzard may then be achieved by
pressing the two parts against each other, possibly combined with a
pull on the intestines in a direction away from the guide
member.
[0056] It is also possible to use a simpler plate member (not
shown) with an opening in the middle and where the intestines are
simply passed through the opening.
[0057] Further details about advantageous embodiments of the guide
member may be found in the applicant's previous patent application
published under the number WO2015/070880.
[0058] The engagement member 8 is of a straight configuration in
all of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3 and arranged
substantially at a centre of the elongated opening extending in the
length direction L of the opening. Due to the proximal and distal
sections 43a, 43b being off-set in relation to each other in the
embodiment in FIG. 2, the engagement member is shown as located
close to one side edge of the opening at the proximal section 43a
and close to the opposite side edge at the distal section 43b. At
present it is, however, considered advantageous to keep a clearance
of at least 1 mm between the engagement member and the side edges
of the elongated opening. This will not only prevent direct contact
between the guide member and engagement member and hence reduce the
wear on these parts, but will also reduce the risk of parts of the
viscera set being unintentionally pinched between them. Arranging
the engagement member so that it is slightly off-centred in
relation to the elongated opening may contribute to keeping the
gizzard on the one side of the elongated opening and thus to a
precise positioning on the separation support surface as will be
described in detail below.
[0059] As will also be seen, the transition between the front edge
44 of the guide member and the side edges of the elongated opening
43, 43a is at least somewhat rounded in all embodiments. This will
help to prevent that the intestines are pinched between the guide
member and the engagement member, particularly when the guide
member is pivoted in relation to the engagement member as will be
described below.
[0060] As is well known to the skilled person, viscera sets from
birds are relatively uniform apart from size variations, but as
particularly the liver tissue is soft it will not be possible to
keep it entirely on one side of the separation support surface.
Moreover, a small percentage of birds are anatomically different in
the sense that the organs are located at the opposite side of the
body cavity compared to normal birds of the same species. In such
cases the position of the organs in the eviscerated viscera set
hanging in the viscera holder will also be mirror-inverted in
comparison to what will be shown and described here. In most cases
the present invention will, however, be able to handle such
mirror-inverted viscera set, even though the gizzard and liver are
lying on the opposite sides of the separation support surface, but
the precision of the separation will not be as high. Likewise it
will be understood that the organs in some species of birds may be
located slightly differently in the viscera set than what is shown
in the drawing, which depicts viscera sets from chicken. The
relative positions and dimensions described herein may therefore
have to be adapted for the particular processing.
[0061] Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the guide member 4 and
engagement member 8 are shown as parts of a guide assembly 6 and
arranged underneath a viscera holder 2, which may be part of an
overhead viscera conveyor in a manner well known to the skilled
person.
[0062] A viscera set from a chicken is shown hanging from the
viscera holder 2 in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this case the viscera holder
is of the type with two mutually moveable parts and has gripped the
esophagus 11 below the heart 12, so that the heart and the lungs 13
are lying on an upper surface 21 of the viscera holder, but the
invention works equally well when the esophagus is held between the
heart 12 and the crop. Likewise it is to be understood that the
viscera holder does not have to clamp the esophagus. It is also
noted that though a chicken viscera set is here used as an example,
viscera sets from other birds such as ducks, geese, turkeys,
pigeons or quails may be held and processed in substantially the
same manner.
[0063] In the preferred embodiment a series of viscera holders 2
are mounted on an overhead conveyor as is common practice in
poultry slaughterhouses and receiving one viscera set at a time,
either directly from an eviscerator or from an intermediate unit or
conveyor, which may for example serve as a buffer.
[0064] The engagement member 8 is here composed of a substantially
planar plate member 81 extending in a plane defined by the length
direction L of the elongated opening 43 and substantially
perpendicular to the plane of the separation support surface 41,42,
but a brace or rod extending at the level of the upper edge 82 of
the plate member may provide the same function. The plate member
81, which is the part intended to come into contact with the
viscera set 15, is attached to a support part 83 adapted to connect
to an assembly frame or the like.
[0065] In operation the viscera holder 2 and hence the viscera set
moves in the direction indicated by the arrows M in FIG. 4, thereby
bringing the viscera set into contact with the engagement member 8.
This will typically be achieved by moving the viscera holder and
the guide assembly at substantially the same speed, at least one of
them following a curved track so that viscera holders and guide
assemblies arranged in series meet in pairs one by one as the
movement advances. This principle of movement is well-known to the
skilled person.
[0066] The engagement member 8 is arranged in such a height
relative to the viscera holder that the centre of gravity of the
gizzard 17 is located at the upper edge 82 of the engagement member
at least when the movement of the guide member is initiated. This
allows the engagement member to keep the gizzard 17 from moving
past the elongated opening, thus keeping it adjacent to the part 41
of the separation support surface intended to receive the gizzard
and away from the opposite part 42 intended to receive the liver
16. When the guide member is swung from the position in FIG. 4 to
the position in FIG. 5, the contact with the engagement member 8
will initially result in both the gizzard 17 and the liver 16 being
located at the side 41 of the separation surface intended to
receive the gizzard, but due to the differences in density and
structure of the gizzard and the liver, the gizzard 17 will come to
rest on one side 41 of the elongated opening 43 while the liver 16
swings over it to the opposite side of the elongated opening.
[0067] The extent of the engagement member 8 in the horizontal
direction perpendicular to the direction of movement M is such that
the viscera set does not slide off and pass by the engagement
member, and the thickness of the plate member 81 is such that it is
sufficiently stiff to hold back the viscera set and that the upper
edge 82 does not cut the viscera set.
[0068] Using a plate with a height as shown in FIGS. 4 to 8 results
in the engagement member 8 also holding back the intestines 15 and
thus preventing them from swinging and/or spreading out when the
upper parts of viscera set comes into contact with the engagement
member. A similar effect may be achieved by using a brace, but the
plate member 81 is both comparatively easy to manufacture and to
clean.
[0069] In the embodiments shown, the engagement member 8 projects
into the elongated opening 43 in the guide member until it has been
brought to its active second position. This allows the guide member
4 to scoop the viscera set off the engagement member in a
controlled manner and with a low risk of pinching the intestines 15
or other parts of the viscera set, but other embodiments are
entirely within the scope of the invention.
[0070] Turning now to FIGS. 6 to 8, a guide assembly 6 resembling
that in FIGS. 4 and 5 but also including a gripping member 3 has
been provided on an assembly frame as will described later.
[0071] In FIG. 6 the guide member 4 is kept in a first inactive,
substantially vertical position and in FIG. 7 the guide member has
been brought into a second active, substantially horizontal
position by being pivoted about the horizontal axle 40. The axle 40
is preferably substantially parallel to the direction of travel of
the viscera conveyor, so that the guide member comes in around the
intestines 15 from the side and from below, the intestines passing
into the elongated opening 43 of the guide member. This swinging or
pivoting motion is initiated by the activation mechanism 48, which
may be driven by hydraulics or gas, but activation by means for
example of an electromotor is also possible.
[0072] At the same time as the movement of the guide member 4, the
intestines 15 are held or stretched by a downwards movement of the
gripping member 3 and/or by the upwards movement of the guide
member 4 and/or by an upwards movement of the viscera holder 2. The
gripping member may be activated simultaneously with the pivoting
of the guide member, but it may also be advantageous to activate
the gripping member and possibly inflict a downwards pull on the
intestines before activating the guide member.
[0073] Here the gripping member 3 is illustrated as a tong-like
tool with a U-shaped brace member 31 on one side of the intestines
and a single rod 32 on the other side pressing against each other
to fixate the intestines, but other embodiments are possible as
will be readily imaginable to the skilled person.
[0074] When the guide member 4 has been swung to its active
position as in FIGS. 5 and 7, the liver 16 and gizzard 17 are
resting on the upper separation support surface 41, 42 of the guide
member.
[0075] A stretching of the intestines 15, either by the gripping
member 3, possibly in cooperation with the viscera holder and/or
the guide member, or by gravity alone, causes the gallbladder (not
shown), which was previously hidden underneath the liver 16, to
pass through the elongated opening 43 in the guide member and
become exposed on the underside of the guide member. The spleen
(not shown) may also come through the elongated opening, but this
will usually not be the case when using a guide member as in FIGS.
1 to 3.
[0076] When the viscera set is in the position shown in FIGS. 5 and
7, the gallbladder can be separated from the remaining parts of the
viscera set together with the intestines 15, for example by means
of a rotating blade 5 arranged substantially in parallel with the
underside of the guide member and above the upper edge 82 of the
engagement member as shown in FIG. 8. It is, however, also possible
to use other types of cutting devices or to simply pull the
intestines and gallbladder off, even though pulling involves an
increased risk of rupturing the gallbladder and/or damaging the
liver. Another option is to use a guide member with two parts 41,
42 as described above, where the two parts can be brought close
together so that the intestines and gallbladder are either fixated
so that they may be pulled off, possibly using the gripping member,
or cut off directly by the two parts acting as scissors.
[0077] In this as well as in all other embodiments where the guide
member 4 is swung from the first to the second position, the
swinging allows the liver 16 and gizzard 17 to slide downwards
along the opening 43, whereby the gallbladder is loosened from the
liver and the viscera set turns into an optimal position for
separation. This sliding movement may be simply under the influence
of gravity, but it is also possible to cause a slightly oscillating
movement by moving the viscera holder 2 and guide member 4 in
relation to each other, thereby facilitating the reorientation of
the liver, gizzard and gallbladder. The reorientation of the liver
and gizzard on the separation support surface also means that they
are arranged in a well-defined manner as seen in FIG. 5, which may
be advantageous for a later separation of these from each other and
from other parts of the viscera set.
[0078] In the embodiment in the drawing, the intestines are
arranged vertically when gripped by the gripping member 3, but it
may prove advantageous to arrange them in another direction and the
direction of the intestines may also be changed during the process
by changing the mutual position of the gripping member, the
engagement member and the guide member and/or the angle of one or
both of them. The force applied to stretch the intestines may also
change, potentially resulting in an oscillating movement of the
intestines.
[0079] The exact angles and forces resulting in an optimal
positioning of the intestines 15, gallbladder and liver 16 in
relation to the guide member 4 will depend on numerous factors such
as the angle of the separation support surface 41, 42, the size and
shape of the opening 43, the dimensions and position of the
engagement member 8 and the nature of the viscera sets being
processed.
[0080] A single cut through all of the tissue connecting the
intestines 15, the gallbladder to the rest of the viscera set will
provide a very precise separation, but an even greater precision
with reduced waste of liver tissue and less ruptured gallbladders
may be achieved by performing two consecutive cuts: A first or
pre-cut separates the intestines and surrounding connective tissue,
fat and membranes from the gizzard, and a second or main cut
separates the gallbladder from the liver, possibly also cutting
loose the spleen.
[0081] The pre-cut results in the weight of the intestines and any
pulling force applied by the gripping member to affect only the
connections to the liver, resulting in the gall bladder being
pulled out from the liver tissue and thus exposing the string of
tissue connecting them. The second cut can thus be performed with a
considerably reduced risk of cutting into the liver or
gall-bladder.
[0082] When processing chicken viscera sets the depth of the
pre-cut should be approximately 7 mm and it has been found optimal
to pull the intestines approximately 2 cm further down after the
pre-cut for further exposure of the gallbladder.
[0083] Though the two separate steps for separating the intestines
from the gizzard and the gallbladder from the liver have been
described above as being performed by cutting it will be understood
that one or both of them might also be performed in other ways, for
example by pulling. Likewise it will be under-stood that one or
more cuts may be made using other means than the circular blade 5
shown, such as for example a linear blade or a pair of blades
acting as scissors.
[0084] In FIGS. 6 to 8 the gripping member 3, the engagement member
8 and guide member 4 are mounted on an assembly frame including a
pair of rods 61, 62 as will be described in detail below. Such rods
may be attached to a carrousel-type processing station as is well
known to the skilled person, thereby allowing the guide assembly 6
to travel alongside an overhead viscera conveyor (not shown), the
rods being substantially vertical or slightly inclined away from
the viscera holder. If the conveyor turns at the carrousel with a
radius of curvature corresponding substantially to the radius of
the carrousel, the guide assembly and viscera holders on the
conveyors will travel substantially in parallel over a section of
the conveyor as will also be described with reference to FIG.
9.
[0085] The gripping member 3 is attached to the rods via a first
base member 63 and the guide member 4 and the engagement member 8
are attached to the same rods via a second similar base member 64.
A wheel 65 on the back side of the second base member is adapted
for travelling in a guide track 75 on the apparatus as illustrated
in FIG. 8 and similar guide tracks 76, 77, 79 are provided for the
other wheels 36, 37, 49, respectively. When the guide track has an
upwards inclination, the wheel and hence also the base member will
be forced upwards, the base member sliding up along the rods, and
vice versa when the guide track has a downwards inclination as is
well known from other processes in poultry slaughterhouses. The
first base member is provided with a similar wheel 36, but it is to
be understood that both may be stationary or that the first may be
moveable and the second stationary in relation to the rods 61, 62.
Additional wheels 37, 49 are provided for controlling the angle of
the base members. Any of these embodiments will provide the mutual
change of position of the gripping member and the guide member
described above.
[0086] In all of the embodiments shown the guide member is
substantially horizontal in its active position, but it will be
understood that this need not be the case. Any angle between 45
degrees and horizontal may be suitable for supporting the liver and
gizzard depending amongst other things on the presence of edge
flanges and if the intestines are held by a gripper or not.
Likewise it is also possible to turn it over the horizontal plane
so that the liver and gizzard will slide towards the distal end of
the elongated opening. This possibility for arranging the guide
member in a different angle also applies to other embodiments as
far as the guide member is able to support the liver and the
gizzard properly. Likewise, the guide member may be inclined so
that either the leading edge or the trailing edge when seen in the
direction of travel of the guide assembly and/or viscera conveyor
is raised in relation to the other. Such inclinations may
facilitate the positioning of the viscera set on the guide
member.
[0087] It is noted that the viscera sets shown in FIGS. 4 to 8 are
hanging with the liver 16 to the left in the figures, i.e. with the
side of the viscera set originally facing the breast of the bird
before evisceration facing away from the viscera holder 2 and guide
assembly frame 6. If a different evisceration method is used or if
the viscera sets are hanging in the opposite direction due to the
method of transfer to the viscera holder, the viscera set should be
made to engage the engagement member 8 from the opposite side so
that gizzard 17 is always closest to the engagement member.
[0088] Even though the invention has here been described with
reference to embodiments having both a guide member 4, an
engagement member 8 and a gripping member 3, the gripping member
might in principle be arranged apart from the guide assembly at an
earlier stage in the processing of the birds, or even dispensed
with, simply relying on gravity to pull the intestines 15 down.
This also implies that the guide member 4 and engagement member 8
may be designed independently of the design of the gripping member
3 and vice versa and that the combinations described above are
therefore only to be regarded as non-limiting examples.
[0089] The guide assembly 6 is part of a system 7 for separating
viscera sets eviscerated from slaughtered poultry and this system
in turn is intended for use in a poultry slaughterhouse, where it
is arranged in series with other poultry processing systems. An
example of the layout of a section of a poultry slaughterhouse
including a system 7 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 9.
Poultry (not shown), which has previously been stunned or killed
and hung from the legs on an overhead conveyor 90, enters this
section of the slaughterhouse at the upper left-hand corner in FIG.
9. From here the birds are first taken to a vent cutter 91 and then
to an opening machine 92, before being eviscerated in an
eviscerator 93. The viscera sets (not shown in FIG. 9) are conveyed
away from the eviscerator on a viscera conveyor 94 to the sys-tem 7
according to the invention, while the carcasses are conveyed on a
separate conveyor 95 to a cropping station 96. Further processing
stations of known types may be provided further downstream on the
viscera and carcass conveyors, but are not shown or described
here.
[0090] The viscera set separating system 7 is here of the carrousel
type with guide assemblies 6 distributed evenly along its periphery
71. The guide assemblies are arranged at the same mutual distance
as the distance between viscera holders 2 on the viscera conveyor
94 and the carrousel is running at substantially the same speed as
the conveyor. When passing the separating system 7 the viscera
conveyor 94 performs a 180 degree turn, meaning that the viscera
holders on the conveyor and the guide assemblies on the separating
system run in parallel over approximately half the circumference of
the carrousel. The fact that the guide assemblies move together
with the viscera holder means that the impacts resulting from a
moving viscera set on a viscera conveyor meeting a stationary
engagement member 8 are avoided. It will, however, be understood
that the invention will also work in poultry slaughterhouses having
a different layout, and that the function of the guide assembly is
in principle independent of the design of the rest of the
system.
[0091] The guide assembly 6 is thus potentially moveable in at
least two ways: It may move up and down in relation to the viscera
holder 2 as shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, and it may move in parallel with
the viscera conveyor as shown in FIG. 9. One of these ways of
movement will in principle be sufficient to provide an advantage
over the prior art, but further advantages are achieved by
combining them.
[0092] It is noted that the direction of travel of the viscera
conveyor in FIG. 9 is the same as the direction of the movement
shown in FIG. 4, but that the opposite direction of travel is also
possible. If travelling in the opposite direction and if the guide
assembly and system described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 were
to be applied directly, the viscera sets would be coming into
contact with the opposite side of the engagement member 8. If the
orientation of the viscera sets and the direction of entry into the
separating system 7 are not such that the viscera sets
automatically comes to engage the engagement members from the
optimal side as explained above, a buffer or delay mechanism may be
employed so that it is instead the engagement member 8 engaging the
viscera set. Such mechanisms are well known from other processes in
the poultry industry.
* * * * *